1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording sheet package and a sheet supply cassette for a printer. More particularly, the present invention relates to a recording sheet package in which a stack of recording sheets can be contained in a state protected from ambient light and moisture, and a sheet supply cassette for a printer.
2. Description Related to the Prior Art
There are two types of thermal printer, including a direct thermal printing type and a thermal transfer type, for each of which a recording sheet of a predetermined type is used. The recording sheet for the direct thermal printing is constituted by a support and three thermosensitive coloring layers overlaid thereon, which are cyan, magenta and yellow coloring layers. Heat energy of three values is applied to the recording sheet to develop colors of each of the coloring layers. Each coloring layer after being heated is optically fixed prior to thermal recording of a succeeding one of the coloring layers. For this optical fixation, ultraviolet rays of a predetermined range of the wavelength are applied to the recording sheet to destroy the coloring ability of each coloring layer. The succeeding coloring layer can be safely heated without influencing the density of the color developed in the preceding coloring layer. If the recording sheet of the direct thermal printing type is kept subjected to light from lamps as widely used appliances for light source, the coloring ability of the recording sheet is remarkably influenced. Consequently a stack of recording sheets is contained in a light-tight packaging bag, and furthermore contained in a cardboard box to be shipped commercially.
There are two types of thermal transfer printer, including a wax-transfer type and a sublimation type. The wax-transfer printer melts or softens ink of ink film, and transfers it to the recording sheet. The sublimation printer sublimates or disperses dye of ink film on to the recording sheet. The recording sheet for the wax-transfer printer consists of coated paper having high smoothness. The recording sheet for the sublimation printer consists of paper coated with polyester resin. For both of the thermal transfer printers, a plurality of recording sheets are stacked and contained in a moisture proof bag, which is then contained in a cardboard box to be shipped for sale.
A recording sheet package is used for easy handling of a stack of the recording sheets. To load the printer with the recording sheets, at first a packaging bag is opened to remove the recording sheet package, which is inserted in a sheet supply cassette. The sheet supply cassette is set in the printer. Thus the loading of the recording sheets is complicated to most of the users. While a user manually removes the recording sheets from the packaging bag, it is likely that the recording sheets are exposed to ambient light and touched by the user""s hand. In the case of the recording sheets for the thermal transfer printing, touched portions are discolored by fingerprints. In the case of the recording sheets for the direct thermal printing, the coloring ability of the uppermost one of the recording sheets is influenced by the ambient light.
JP-A 5-116774 discloses the recording sheet package in which the recording sheets are not touched directly by user""s hand, and with which the printer can be easily loaded with the recording sheets. A cutting line with a train of perforations is formed in a body of the recording sheet package. A portion of the body of the recording sheet package is cut away by tearing the cutting line, to form an opening for removal of the recording sheets. The tearing requires a user""s manual operation prior to the loading into the printer.
In the course of manufacturing a recording sheet package, it is difficult to insert a stack of recording sheets into a packaging case, because an ordinary type of recording sheet package accommodates the recording sheets in a state tightly contacted by the packaging case. Therefore recording sheet packages, according to the prior art, have been manufactured by use of a process of wrapping the recording sheets in a packaging case. Another problem arises in that the tight contact of the packaging case with the recording sheets considerably raises the resistance to the advance of the recording sheets. There is no smoothness in the sheet advance.
It is conceivable to provide looseness between the packaging case and the recording sheet contained therein. However a further problem arises in that the recording sheets are not positioned stably in the packaging case. The printing may be degraded, as the recording sheets may advance obliquely or may be jammed.
JP-A 9-132330 discloses a sheet supply cassette in which air tight sponge members are disposed on joining edges where a cassette portion and a lid of the cassette are fitted when closed. This is for the purpose of protecting the recording sheets from being moistened.
However the lid of this sheet supply cassette must be opened in order to supply the recording sheets. Although the inside of the sheet supply cassette is kept with sufficient tightness when closed, the moisture-proofness is lowered at the time of the supply of the recording sheet.
In view of the foregoing problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a recording sheet package for a printer, wherein a stack of recording sheets can be contained in a state protected from ambient light and moisture, and a sheet supply cassette for the printer.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a recording sheet package for a printer, wherein the recording sheet package is capable of being mounted easily on the printer, and a sheet supply cassette for the printer.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a recording sheet package for a printer, wherein recording sheets can be protected in the course of transportation and preservation, and a sheet supply cassette for the printer.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a recording sheet package for a printer, wherein recording sheets can be advanced while positioned stably, and a sheet supply cassette for the printer.
In order to achieve the above and other objects and advantages of this invention, a recording sheet package is provided for a printer, the printer including a printer component for image recording to a recording sheet, a loading opening through which the printer component is supplied with the recording sheet, and at least one guiding member for positioning the recording sheet in the loading opening. The recording sheet package includes a packaging case for containing a stack of plural recording sheets with looseness, the loading opening being loadable with the packaging case. A package outlet is formed in the packaging case, passable to one of the recording sheets, and set directed toward the printer component. At least one cutout is formed in a periphery of the packaging case, for receiving the guiding member. At least one blocking mechanism is disposed inside the packaging case, for closing the cutout, the blocking mechanism being shiftable inwards from the cutout by the guiding member.
In a preferred embodiment, the blocking mechanism comprises an auxiliary bag, light-tight and moisture-proof, contained in the packaging case, for containing the stack of the recording sheets with looseness.
By this construction, the stack of recording sheets can be contained in a state protected from ambient light and moisture, because the cutout is reliably closed.
In another preferred embodiment, a sheet supply cassette is provided for a printer, the printer including a printer component for image recording to a recording sheet, a loading opening through which the recording sheet is inserted into the printer component, and a supply roller for supplying the printer component with the recording sheet. The sheet supply cassette includes a cassette body, loaded in the loading opening, for containing a stack of plural recording sheets with looseness. A cassette outlet is formed in the cassette body, passable to one of the recording sheets, and set directed toward the printer component. An insertion opening is formed in the cassette body, for receiving insertion of the supply roller, for allowing contact of the supply roller with one of the recording sheets. A bias mechanism presses the recording sheets against the supply roller by biasing the recording sheets.
In still another preferred embodiment, a cassette body contains a stack of plural recording sheets. A cassette outlet is formed in the cassette body, and passable to one of the recording sheets. A supply roller is disposed in the cassette body, for rotating to convey one of the recording sheet through the cassette outlet. A bias mechanism presses the recording sheets against the supply roller by biasing the recording sheets.
By this construction, the recording sheet package is capable of being mounted easily on the printer, because the supply roller can be caused to contact the uppermost recording sheet by use of the bias mechanism.
In another preferred embodiment, a packaging case contains a stack of plural recording sheets. A package outlet is formed in the packaging case, and passable to one of the recording sheets. An outer bag encloses the packaging case with the recording sheets with the package outlet directed substantially upwards. A suspension portion is disposed on a top edge of the outer bag, for suspension of the outer bag.
In an additional preferred embodiment, a packaging case contains a stack of plural recording sheets. A package outlet is formed in the packaging case, and passable to one of the recording sheets. An outer bag encloses the packaging case with the recording sheets with the package outlet directed substantially horizontally. A suspension portion is disposed close to a top edge of the outer bag, for suspension of the outer bag.
In another preferred embodiment, a packaging case contains a stack of plural recording sheets. A package outlet is formed in the packaging case, and passable to one of the recording sheets. An outer bag is light-tight and moisture-proof, for containing the packaging case and the recording sheets. A protection bag is folded and contained in the outer bag with the packaging case, for containing the packaging case and the recording sheets after the outer bag is opened, to protect the recording sheets. A fastener is disposed to an open portion of the protection bag, for closing the protection bag in an openable manner.
By this construction, the recording sheets can be protected in the course of transportation and preservation, because the structures and orientations of the packaging case, the outer bag and/or the protection bag are suitably determined.
In a further preferred embodiment, a packaging case contains a stack of plural recording sheets. A package outlet is formed in the packaging case, and passable to one of the recording sheets. A position setter is disposed between an inside of the packaging case and the recording sheets, for preventing the recording sheets from being loose inside the packaging case.
In another preferred embodiment, a packaging case has a substantially parallelepipedic shape, for containing a stack of plural recording sheets. A package outlet is formed in the packaging case, and passable to one of the recording sheets. An inside of the packaging case has a first width, the recording sheets have a second width, the first width is smaller than the second width, and the packaging case keeps the recording sheets curved, for preventing the recording sheets from being loose therein.
By this construction, the recording sheets can be advanced while positioned stably, because the position setter or the inside of the packaging case keeps the recording sheets positioned stably.